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Arsenal Football Club has declared that its contentious sponsorship arrangement with Visit Rwanda will come to an end in June this upcoming year.

Context and Criticism

This deal, reportedly valued at around £10m per year, began in 2018 and has since faced significant scrutiny.

This criticism arises from the country's reported backing for the M23 rebel group in ongoing conflicts in the eastern region of the neighboring Democratic Republic of the Congo.

Earlier this year, Arsenal faced allegations of committing a disrespectful act to the government of the DRC by declining to meet with Congolese diplomat Thérèse Wagner to address the sponsorship.

Partnership Structure and Objectives

Visit Rwanda operates as a division of the the country's development agency, which is a state institution.

It is widely believed that Arsenal entered into and continued this partnership mainly to grow their fanbase in Africa.

However, the arrangement has now concluded after both parties “jointly decided” to part ways.

“Jointly, Arsenal and the Rwanda Development Board have outperformed the original goals of the partnership – advocating preservation and eco-friendly travel, inspiring millions of supporters to explore Rwanda, and building a solid groundwork for tourism growth,” read an Gunners' release.

The release further noted that the partnership has also supported Rwanda's objective to emerge as an international sporting hub in Africa and stage additional international competitions while delivering community soccer programs that have supported many aspiring footballers and coaches develop their skills and promote increased engagement in sport across the country.

Executive Perspective and Fan Reaction

Richard Garlick, Arsenal's top executive, characterized the deal as a “major expedition” and stated it had been “advancing” the club's aspirations.

However, this perspective was not shared by a portion of the Gunners' supporters, with the campaign group Gunners Supporting Peace demonstrating outside the North London venue during the initial Champions League semi-final match against Paris Saint-Germain in late April.

Protesters displayed a banner that read “Terminate the Visit Rwanda Partnership” and provided wristbands to hide the Visit Rwanda logo on kits.

Broader Context and Other Clubs

During that period, Paris Saint-Germain extended their sponsorship arrangement with Visit Rwanda for several more years.

At the same time, the Spanish club inked a recent contract for the same period that has resulted in the branding featured on the Spanish club's men's and women's shirts.